Fire at ADM Corn Processing Plant in Iowa

A fire was reported Wednesday morning at an Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) corn processing plant in Clinton, IA where a firefighter was killed while responding to a fire and explosion at the facility last year, several local news organizations reported. 

“This morning, ADM employees smelled smoke near the receiving area of our corn processing plant in Clinton and called the Clinton Fire Department for assistance,” ADM said in a statement printed by NBC News affiliate KWQC. “Firefighters investigated and were able to quickly contain and extinguish the small fire they found.”

Crews responded to the scene at about 3 a.m., Clinton Fire Battalion Chief Mike McQuistion told the Clinton Herald. No injuries were logged during the incident. 

ADM said it is investigating the cause of the fire and examining the amount of damages to the Clinton plant. 

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33-year-old Clinton Fire Lt. Eric Hosette died and a 23-year-old firefighter received injuries in January 2019 while battling a fire and explosion in a silo at the Clinton corn processing plant. 

A report by the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that ADM provided the fire department with “an incorrect assessment of the explosion risk” and did not offer accurate information on the material in the silo, according to coverage by the Des Moines Register. The agribusiness was later issued citations and a fine of about $56,000 for hazards present in the facility. 

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